Method for producing toner for developing electrostatic image and apparatus for producing resin particles

Abstract

A method for producing resin particles, including ejecting a liquid containing at least a resin in the form of droplets from a droplet ejecting unit having a plurality of holes provided in a part of a flow channel for feeding the liquid containing at least a resin, and drying and solidifying the ejected droplets so as to obtain the resin particles, while the ejected droplets are transported by a primary transport air flow flowing in the direction in which the droplets are ejected, wherein the ejected droplets are further transported by a secondary transport air flow which transports the ejected droplets in a different direction from a direction in which the primary transport air flow flows, and wherein a smaller angle of angles formed between a velocity vector of the primary transport air flow and a velocity vector of the secondary transport air flow is less than 120 degrees.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for producing resin particles, comprising:
 ejecting, into a chamber, a liquid containing at least a resin in the form of droplets from a droplet ejecting unit having a plurality of holes provided in a part of a flow channel for feeding the liquid containing at least a resin, wherein a plurality of the droplet ejecting units are arranged in a side wall of the chamber to eject droplets toward the center of the chamber, and wherein at least a portion of the liquid containing at least the resin fed from a liquid container to the droplet ejecting unit is circulated between the liquid container and the droplet ejecting unit and back to the liquid container; and 
 drying and solidifying the ejected droplets so as to obtain the resin particles, while the ejected droplets are transported by a primary transport air flow flowing in the direction in which the droplets are ejected, 
 wherein the ejected droplets are further transported by a secondary transport air flow which transports the ejected droplets in a different direction from a direction in which the primary transport air flow flows, wherein the secondary transport air flow flows from upside to downside, and 
 wherein a smaller angle of angles formed between a velocity vector of the primary transport air flow and a velocity vector of the secondary transport air flow is less than 120 degrees. 
 
     
     
       2. The method for producing resin particles according to  claim 1 , wherein the smaller angle of angles formed between the velocity vector of the primary transport air flow and the velocity vector of the secondary transport air flow is 45 degrees to 100 degrees. 
     
     
       3. The method for producing resin particles according to  claim 1 , wherein the smaller angle of angles formed between the velocity vector of the primary transport air flow and the velocity vector of the secondary transport air flow is 60 degrees to 90 degrees. 
     
     
       4. The method for producing resin particles according to  claim 1 , wherein a ratio V/H of a velocity V of the secondary transport air flow to a velocity H of the primary transport air flow is 0.5 to 3.0. 
     
     
       5. A method for producing a toner for developing an electrostatic image, comprising:
 ejecting a solution or dispersion liquid in the form of droplets from a droplet ejecting unit having a plurality of holes provided in a part of a flow channel for feeding the solution or dispersion liquid, the solution or dispersion liquid comprising a solvent and a toner material containing at least a binder resin and a pigment, dissolved or dispersed in the solvent, wherein a plurality of the droplet ejecting units are arranged in a side wall of the chamber to eject droplets toward the center of the chamber, and wherein at least a portion of the liquid containing at least the binder resin and pigment fed from a liquid container to the droplet ejecting unit is circulated between the liquid container and the droplet ejecting unit and back to the liquid container; and 
 drying and solidifying the ejected droplets so as to obtain a toner, while the ejected droplets are transported by a primary transport air flow flowing in the direction in which the droplets are ejected, 
 wherein the ejected droplets are further transported by a secondary transport air flow which transports the ejected droplets in a different direction from a direction in which the primary transport air flow flows, wherein the secondary transport air flow flows from upside to downside, and 
 wherein a smaller angle of angles formed between a velocity vector of the primary transport air flow and a velocity vector of the secondary transport air flow is less than 120 degrees. 
 
     
     
       6. The method for producing a toner for developing an electrostatic image according to  claim 5 , wherein the smaller angle of angles formed between the velocity vector of the primary transport air flow and the velocity vector of the secondary transport air flow is 45 degrees to 100 degrees. 
     
     
       7. The method for producing a toner for developing an electrostatic image according to  claim 5 , wherein the smaller angle of angles formed between the velocity vector of the primary transport air flow and the velocity vector of the secondary transport air flow is 60 degrees to 90 degrees. 
     
     
       8. The method for producing a toner for developing an electrostatic image according to  claim 5 , wherein a ratio V/H of a velocity V of the secondary transport air flow to a velocity H of the primary transport air flow is 0.5 to 3.0. 
     
     
       9. The method for producing a toner for developing an electrostatic image according to  claim 5 , wherein the solvent is ethyl acetate. 
     
     
       10. The method for producing a toner for developing an electrostatic image according to  claim 5 , wherein the binder resin is a polyester resin. 
     
     
       11. The method for producing a toner for developing an electrostatic image according to  claim 5 , wherein the pigment is carbon black. 
     
     
       12. The method for producing a toner for developing an electrostatic image according to  claim 5 , wherein the toner material further comprises wax. 
     
     
       13. The method for producing a toner for developing an electrostatic image according to  claim 12 , wherein the wax is a carnauba wax. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the droplet ejecting unit comprises a shroud generating the primary transport air flow. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the droplet ejecting unit comprises a shroud generating the primary transport air flow.